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Baxter expects Chiefs to improve

Exeter boss Rob Baxter believes his fringe players will improve during the rest of their Challenge Cup campaign.

Exeter boss Rob Baxter believes his fringe players will improve during the rest of their Challenge Cup campaign.

The Chiefs suffered a 30-24 defeat at Bayonne after conceding a late try but despite the loss Baxter is optimistic that his charges will do better as the tournament progresses.

“I expect us to be training and playing at a higher intensity week-by-week now,” he told the BBC.

“I’ll demand something better next week.”

Baxter made 12 changes to his starting XV for that clash with only Jack Nowell, Mitch Lees and Don Armand retaining their places from the starting XV that beat London Irish in a Premiership match on October 11.

“I’m a realist about things,” added Baxter.

“We made a lot of changes to that side, and in a lot of positions we had people who hadn’t played a lot of high-intensity rugby, just a bit of A-League.

“I know the players are frustrated, I think they’re frustrated by the direction of some of the things that they did.

“But I’m not going to sit here and say it should be perfect from a group of players who haven’t been playing together.”